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Showing they need Jermain Defoe more than ever, punchless Toronto FC fell 2-0 to the Philadelphia Union on Saturday at BMO Field in a crucial MLS game between teams neck and neck to secure a playoff spot.

Philadelphia climbed over Toronto for fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings. Toronto has dropped to the fifth and final spot in the East with Columbus closing in.

Toronto has eight matches remaining and hasn't scored in three straight games, all defeats.

It was Toronto's second straight shutout loss, both against Philly, under new coach Greg Vanney, although the Reds hit the goal post twice.

The defeat came on a partly cloudy but comfortable day with the game-time temperature at 22C. There were many empty seats, although attendance was announced as a sellout of 22,591. The crowd jeered at game’s end.

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This has been a trying time for the team and their fans, restless after the recent firing of the entire coaching staff and Defoe’s lingering groin injury amid reports he might want out.

The good news is that Defoe, rehabbing in England, is expected to return to the team on Sept. 20, cooling rumours — including a recent report by England’s Daily Mail — that he’s still working on an exit strategy to return to the Premier League.

Just before Saturday’s game, Defoe tweeted support to the team, saying he hopes to soon be “out there scoring goals.” The 31-year-old striker is six months into a rich four-year contract with TFC.

“We're in communication with him now at least every other day, if not every day,” Vanney said after the game.

“Those conversations are going well. A lot of this is behind us. We know he'll be back with us on the 20th to join our camp, and we look forward to him getting back. Clearly, he's a difference maker and a big part of the club. I think a lot of that has been sorted out.”

Vanney said Defoe, who leads Toronto with 11 goals but hasn't played since Aug. 23, is working hard on his recovery.

“Our hope is he shows up fit and ready to just sharpen up within the team,” the new coach said.

Vanney said TFC is struggling because it has not found an identity. With a full week of training ahead next week, he thinks it's important to take a hard look and figure out how to get the players on the same page.

“We're still sort of a group moving in one direction and another group moving in another direction,” he said.

Vanney said Philadelphia successfully slowed the game down early, and TFC found it difficult to find gaps in the Philly defence. A bad pass, bad touch or bad decision spoiled every scoring thrusts.

“The ball needs to move faster,” Vanney said. “We don't necessarily need to run more. We need to move at the right times and to the right spaces, and we lacked that connection a little bit today.”

Vanney is a big believer in being in an opponent's space, not playing in zones.

“You've got to fight for the ball,” he said.

On both Union goals, Toronto didn't clear the ball well. Conor Casey — who also netted the winner when the teams met Wednesday — and Andrew Wenger scored off well-timed headers in the first half.

After the game, Toronto midfielder Michael Bradley sat slumped in his locker stall in his shorts with a red towel around his neck, exasperated by another loss. He said it's “frustrating” and he's having a hard time finding words to explain the funk the team is in.

“To be quite honest, you get sick and tired of talking about it,” Bradley said.

He said the team was looking forward to this home game and looked to start the game with a lot of energy.

“We were just not able to,” he said. “We went down 1-0 and then gave up another bad goal right before halftime, and when you constantly dig yourself these kind of holes you know it's going to be hard to come back.”

He added that although everyone is frustrated, no one is giving up: “Anybody who thinks we're ready to pack it in have another thing coming.”

Bradley said he hasn't been in touch with Defoe, but when told that the team expects him back on Sept. 20 his face lit up.

“Awesome,” he said. “Sounds good.”

Toronto's next game is at Chicago next Saturday. The Reds’ next home game is Sun. Sept. 21 against Chivas USA.

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